§11-8-3. Annual budget.

(a) It shall be the duty of the county commission, at some meeting in September of each calendar year, but not later than October 1, to prepare and adopt a budget for the fiscal year beginning on October 1 of the current calendar year which shall include all of the following:

(1) An estimate of the anticipated revenue of the county for all public funds under its supervision and control including all unexpended balances as provided in Section 11-8-6.

(2) An estimate of expenditures for county operations.

(3) Appropriations for the respective amounts that are to be used for each of such purposes.

(b) The appropriations made in the budget shall not exceed the estimated total revenue of the county available for appropriations.

(c) The budget adopted, at a minimum, shall include any revenue required to be included in the budget under the provisions of Alabama law and reasonable expenditures for the operation of the offices of the judge of probate, tax officials, sheriff, county treasurer, the county jail, the county courthouse, and other offices as required by law.

(d) In order that the budget adopted is based upon an estimate of revenue and operating expenditures as nearly correct as possible, at least 60 days before the meeting of the county commission at which the county budget is adopted:

(1) Any public official who receives public funds, including any official entitled to ex officio fees, or who issues any kind of order payable out of the county treasury without approval of such county commission shall furnish to the county commission in writing an estimate of the revenue and of the anticipated expenditures the official will be called upon to make during the next fiscal year.

(2) The judge of probate, tax officials, sheriff, county treasurer, and any other county official or employee named by the county commission shall prepare and submit to the county commission an itemized estimate of the amount the official or employee believes to be necessary for personnel, office supplies, and other expenditures during the following fiscal year. Any official entitled to ex officio fees shall include in his or her estimate the estimated amount of any ex officio fees the official will receive during the following fiscal year.

(e) Based upon the estimated revenue and expenditures set out in subsection (d), together with any other financial information available to the county commission regarding the anticipated revenue and expenditures for the next fiscal year, the county commission shall approve a budget which includes the expenditures it deems proper for the next fiscal year.

(f) Following the adoption of the budget, no obligation incurred by any county official or office over and above the amount or amounts approved and appropriated by the county commission shall be an obligation of the county unless the obligation is approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the county commission.

(g) The budget may be amended during the fiscal year as determined necessary by affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the county commission. No amendment may authorize an expenditure which exceeds anticipated revenue of the county except as otherwise specifically authorized by general law.

(Acts 1935, No. 379, p. 803; Code 1940, T. 12, §74; Act 2007-488, p. 1037, §1.)